consciouseating


Exceptional Endings


Really Good Raw Desserts


Over indulging in sweets during the winter festivities can produce unwanted weight gain and a general feeling of sluggishness—a not- so-wonderful gift for anyone. But adding a raw food dessert to our holiday repertoire could introduce a new, healthier tradition to holiday occasions that’s welcomed by everyone.


by Judith Fertig A


raw dessert no longer means only a simple piece of fruit or a handful of nuts. While a traditional holiday story conjures sleeping children with “visions of sugar-


plums” dancing in their heads, the dreams of raw dessert chefs more likely spring from Medjool dates, cacao nibs and exotic fruits. That’s because raw desserts are made from uncooked, minimally processed and generally plant-based foods. Raw foods aficionados say they are usually first at-


tracted to this type of food preparation because the recipes do not contain wheat, refined sugar, eggs or dairy products, which eliminates the need to work around food sensitivities. Plus, they feel better after they’ve eaten a raw foods dessert, which might feature nuts, fresh and dried fruits, agave nectar and/or chocolate. When these raw foods are ground or puréed in a food pro-


cessor or blender, they contribute mightily to dessert crusts, fill- ings, sauces and frostings to grace tarts, cakes, cookies, puddings and ice creams—all of which can be made without cooking. Sometimes, dessert recipes call for using a dehydrator,


a simple appliance that dries foods slowly at around 112° to 118° F, to avoid the enzyme changes that occur when foods are


48 Collier/Lee Counties swfl.naturalawakeningsmag.com


cooked at higher temperatures. The dehydrator yields a charac- teristic that raw foods enthusiast Nathalie Lussier describes as “...a warm, chewy, comfort food feeling, so that you can make cookies that come out slightly warm from the dehydrator.” With raw desserts, “You really can have your cake and


eat it too, because the recipes are packed with nutrients and fiber,” advises raw desserts chef Heather Pace, the author of four raw dessert e-books, including Just Desserts and Raw Party Parfait. Most raw foods desserts, like most exceptional sweets,


involve several steps to make each part. “While at first glance, a raw dessert might appear to be complicated and time-consum- ing,” notes Pace, “it’s really very simple. Each component can be thrown together quickly and easily and can be made ahead.” The benefits of raw desserts extend beyond the simply


nutritional, affirm devoted adherents. Rose Lee Calabro, author of Living in the Raw and Living in the Raw Desserts, had experi- enced a host of personal health issues that virtually disappeared when she began to eat a mainly raw foods diet a decade ago. But more than that, she says, “Eating raw foods has contributed to a career change and a dramatic shift in my life.” According to eco-lifestylist and raw foods author Ani


Phyo, “Eating more organic, fresh, whole foods helps us main- tain an ideal weight, lowers cholesterol, boosts the immune system and helps us look and feel our best.” But for her, as well, raw foods are more than a diet. She remarks, “It affects the way I live and interact with planet Earth and all other liv- ing beings.” Phyo is the author of Ani’s Raw Food Essentials, Ani’s Raw Food Desserts and Ani’s Raw Food Kitchen. Lussier agrees all the way around. “I believe raw foods


can heal you on a physical, emotional and spiritual level,” she comments, because like many others, “I’ve personally experi- enced it myself.”


Judith Fertig is a freelance writer in Overland Park, KS; for more information visit AlfrescoFoodAndLifestyle.blogspot.com.


Raw Food Desserts Kitchen


Although no oven is used in making raw desserts, other electronic equipment is necessary. Blender


Dehydrator Makes sauces, puddings, smoothies and fillings


Removes moisture from raw foods at 112° to 118° F; “bakes” cookies


Food Processor Makes nut crusts and fruit purées Electric Juicer Presses and juices fruits and vegetables


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72